Schism
by Artemis Taichou
Summary: There was a time that the pieces fit, but I watched them fall away. Mildewed and smoldering, strangled by our coveting.
1. Summertime Sadness

**A/N:** Here, have another story. I'm just on a fucking writing spree.

Have you guys heard this song by Tool?! If not then you should, it's one of my favorites EVER and it gave me the inspiration for this story.

The lyrics are mind-blowing and the guitar riff is schismed to follow along with the song—made to sound dissonant and fragmented on purpose. (While I'm at it, you guys should listen to "Forty-six and Two", too, and look up the meaning behind the song. It's freaking awesome.)

Oh, and I'm gonna stop putting who the quotes belong to 'cause it's kinda annoying to do it. I pretty much gush about the song beforehand anyway and if you guys really want to know the author then you can message me or look up the lyrics on Google!

Schism

Summertime Sadness

—" _I know the pieces fit,_

 _Because I watched them fall away_ "

They had left in the summer; when the flowers were at their peak of violent colors and the trees robust with evergreen leaves. The incalescent sun bringing sweltering dog days and lazy roaming bugs the total antithesis of how much that day had impacted. How much that day had hurt.

She was left, in loneliness, with a deep sadness saturating down to her bone marrow. People always described pain of the heart as sharp, like a knife, but to her it felt more like a weight. She was Atlas, holding up the world on her shoulders, but the only world which had come crashing was hers. She knew that she shouldn't have let their departure leave a void, knew that they never valued her strength into their numbers, but nonetheless she had ached. The pressure securely pinned her down in one bitter state of mind and wouldn't budge.

 _I wasn't good enough._

The anger had simmered beneath the surface of her consciousness left unrecognized for her benefit as much as anyone else's, until it had transitioned into utter indifference.

Nevertheless, she persisted for five more years…

…because it was only fitting that they would return with the summer, as the summer had fled with them the day they left.

…

"Do you think she hates us?" asked Naruto, looking up at the stars from his horizontal position on the springy grass.

A musky wind blew through their campsite, bringing the smell of the late summer night and the chirping of the enthused black crickets.

There was no need to add context to his question with a name; they all knew whom he spoke of. The day they had left was branded into each of their minds, not because they had left their home village, but because they had left their teammate in the process, not knowing the damage they would cause.

Kakashi shifted restlessly next to him, but he was not the one who answered.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she did," replied Sasuke quietly, face pointed upwards towards the night skies, too.

"We should not have left as we did," Sai intoned, hands twitching for something to occupy his mind besides these pinching thoughts.

Sasuke moved in discomfiture because he had left before them and in a much more unforgivable way.

"We can't do anything about that now though, so there's no point in discussing it," Sasuke retorted, a bit of bite to his tone.

Naruto replied, voice curt, "Well, it seems like you don't even care that much anyways."

A long silence.

"I care," came his voice, soft and inoffensive like the summer breeze.

Kakashi sighed heavily. "Sasuke's right—there's no reason to talk about what's already been done. We'll arrive back to Konoha tomorrow and then we'll see…she might not be as dissonant as we think. We might just be overreacting."

"We'll make her see," Naruto muttered, turning over to try and catch a rest or two before the night finished. "She'll understand."

The crickets' song, once soothing, now turned inharmonious in the quiet clearing.

…

Sakura stormed up the steps, a maelstrom thundering towards the Hokage's office. She gritted her teeth in annoyance and kept at her stomping pace. She passed by Shizune carrying a stack of papers as said woman shrunk away from Sakura in an attempt to be less conspicuous. Sakura by-passed her with a quick nod of her head—Shizune was not the one who indulged her ire.

"Is shishou in her office?" she asked tersely.

"I don't know, I just came from the files office," Shizune responded speedily, not wanting to be in the immediate attention of Sakura's righteous stare any longer than necessary.

"Does she have any important meetings at the moment?"

"Nope," Shizune delivered promptly, edging away. "What's wrong, Sakura?"

"You know what's wrong." Another nippy reply.

Shizune stopped trying to scuttle out of view and sighed. She looked to Sakura with coal-colored eyes, "You know Tsunade-sama is only trying to do what's best."

"He was _my_ patient."

"I think being Head Medic and Hokage to Konohagakure overrides that fact," Shizune supplied helpfully.

"Well it shouldn't!" came Sakura's intelligent rebuttal. She threw her hands in the air in exasperation " _Shizune_ ," she whined, "what the hell?"

"There's nothing I can do about it!" Shizune spluttered hastily.

"I _know_ that," Sakura voiced, "I just—ugh!" She turned away. "I'm going to go talk to her."

"Good luck with that," Shizune grumbled under her breath, knowing Tsunade to be stubborn as the recurrently nagging weeds that grew through the concrete on her patio every summer. "Take her sake away if she doesn't listen! She drinks way too much of that stuff anyways!" Shizune called after her in a louder voice. "Don't tell her I told you that!"

Sakura waved absentmindedly at her as she walked away not turning as she did so. "Yeah, Shizune, I think I'll do that even if she does listen. Thanks."

Sakura walked faster, seeing her destination was in reach, and wrenched open the office door, flying inside, arms at the ready.

Maybe if she hadn't been currently residing in her thundercloud of indignance she might have noticed the familiar-but-not-so-familiar-anymore chakra inside the office before bursting in with such enthusiasm. As it was, the first person she saw upon entering the sunny office was Tsunade herself, no doubt having sensed her incoming chakra, with her hands folded demurely beneath her chin and a languid smile adorning her mouth. Next, she saw Gaara, standing next to her with slow blinking eyes. She assumed it was about time for the two to sit down for their annual meeting and attributed Gaara's presence thusly.

"You discharged my patient from the hospital without even asking me about his current injuries and the first thing you do is _send him on a mission_ ," Sakura accused rightly, fists bunched on her hips clothed by her white lab coat. Then, remembering her manners, bowed a quick "Hokage-sama" and "Kazakage-sama" which was reciprocated by the latter with a greeting of his own and then got back to business.

Tsunade beat her to the punch and spoke before Sakura could continue her deluge. "I needed Kin specifically for the mission he is presently on," Tsunade replied agreeably, smile still in place. "Rest assured though, I readdressed his injuries myself before sending him."

"Shishou," Sakura pleaded, "he had two lacerations on his upper torso that restricted his movements on account that I had to spend hours healing which _still_ needed stiches after I was finished! If left unattended, they could fester and infection could set. You know how reckless Kin can be!" Sakura didn't mess around with the health of her patients and if it wasn't for this specific fact she would not have been telling her shishou off in such an offhand manner. As Shizune had said, she was the Hokage after all and the fact that she could launch a stapler through a concrete wall with nary a flick of her wrist was testament to Sakura's ample spine and her determination to see to that of her patient's welfare.

Tsunade nodded pleasantly, seemingly unperturbed. "Facts of which I reminded him of before sending him on his way." She unfolded her hands now and rested them on her desk. "Sakura, the mission I sent him on was strictly reconnaissance and should not take him more than four days. Kin is careful when he knows he needs to be. The boy's not stupid. And I'm sorry I went behind your back and released him from the hospital without your consent, but I knew you would tell me off for it and it was much easier this way to boot. Anyway," Tsunade abruptly laced her hands under her chin again, smile back in place, "he's already gone, so there's nothing you can do about it."

Surprisingly, a statement that didn't stop her from being angry.

Sakura glared, knowing defeat when it smiled with lacquer at her from its seated position across the way. "Shizune told me to take your sake; I think it's affecting your judgement."

The benign smile disappeared. "A cup now and again never hurt anybody," she replied, sniffy.

Sakura snorted in dour amusement. _A cup._

Although her shishou was being resolutely infuriating, Sakura knew she was privileged—Tsunade would only let two people talk to her with such familiarity, Sakura being one of them and the other having squirmed away only a few minutes ago.

"Now, if we're finished here, I do have business to attend to," said Tsunade, topic changing awfully fast, "we can talk about this over dinner tonight to your heart's content if you're so inclined. I have a few words for Shizune, too," she finished ominously, honey eyes darkening.

"Right," Sakura sighed, then stiffened slightly, sensing the static omission of occupied space behind her for the first time. The negation of empty space which meant there were living bodies just at the turn of the head, she realized just now due to the occupation of her mind by frustration.

She flicked her head to the side and glanced at the people who had been silent through their conversation with mild interest…

…Only for her head to do the quickest double-take of her twenty-two years to date.

Naruto, Kakashi, Sasuke, Sai, and Yamato were standing, straight-backed, against the same wall as the door which Sakura had burst through, staring wide-eyed at her.

Sakura jerked her head back to look at Tsunade right away and regretted the split-second widening of her own eyes, hoping they hadn't seen. _Oh, fuck_.

Face straitlaced, she replied, "I see. I'll be on my way then." Sakura had become strict at hiding her emotions and she reclaimed those practices at that moment. Sakura shut down.

"Sa—" started the familiar voice of Naruto behind her before being promptly cut off. She did not turn.

"Shut the hell up, Uzumaki Naruto, I did not give you permission to speak and until that time you will not utter one sound," Tsunade spoke, tone turning unfriendly and severe.

Sakura gave another quick bow to Gaara, who stood watching the proceedings with interested ambiance. "Kazekage-sama." Another to her shishou and then she walked swiftly out the door, not glancing for a second at _that_ side of the wall. She popped her head back in only to say: "Don't tell Shizune that I told you that she told me to take your sake away; she told me not to tell you she said that." And then she was gone.

…

Sakura found herself in her office with only blurred images of the people and buildings she had passed to get there. Her mind was strangely blank.

She lowered herself slowly down into the cushy chair behind her desk and stared, mystified, at the glaringly white color of her opposite office wall.

The moment reoccurred over and over again in her mind with haunting clarity. The second her head had turned became an eternity when she saw what had waited—or rather _who_ —just at the corner of her peripheral sight. Oh god, it was _them_.

The shock of seeing Kakashi, Sasuke, Sai, and Naruto had been only secondary in Sakura's emotional agenda. And the first?

Anger.

They looked similar enough, she supposed. Older, of course—the lines of their faces and bodies more defined by age and exertion—but that was by far the furthest thought from her mind.

For so long, her former team had become only a tiny pinch in her memories because she had willed it so. Sakura never thought of their return because it seemed as unassuming and unimportant as the mold growing steadily in the corners of her small bathroom. If she didn't think about it, it ceased to be a concern. Yamato had become an unwelcome presence in her life, because although he had not gone with her former team, Sakura knew with conviction that Yamato had been told by _those four_ that they were leaving. Sakura knew Yamato was told of their whereabouts by inconspicuously delivered letters, but he kept them to himself for whatever reason Sakura no longer cared about. For a while, he tried to sidle up to Sakura on the odd dinnertime meal, maybe keeping an eye on her, but once she made it adamant she wanted nothing to do with him, he retreated and only gave her the occasional wave from across a crowded marketplace. All five had become noting to her when she ceased to become nothing to them.

Sakura felt her anger doubled at the instant she had recognized while glancing upon their unwanted familiar facets, because she thought that indifference had encapsulated all feelings she had had towards them, even anger. She wanted nothing of them, not even that ugly emotion.

Sakura would never be able to erase the day they had allowed her to fall to pieces because no matter that she tried to never think of it, they still made their sickly reappearance during her inevitable time of unconsciousness.

At sixteen, Sakura had woken up to the same tandem she had for a long time now. She'd showered, dressed, eaten breakfast, and gone to meet her team at their regular place. It surprised her that Naruto was not there yet when she had arrived, but it was sometimes common for him to show later than herself, so she worried not. What was more surprising was that Sai had not arrived, because the finicky artist was anal about schedules and Yamato was usually the same. Kakashi's presence, however, was, as always, not even worth pondering over until maybe two hours past their scheduled time.

Like the fool she was, Sakura waited for them for an hour, worried. Her overactive imagination bombarded her with horrible thoughts that maybe something had happened to one of them and coming to tell her was not a possibility due to the critical danger one of them might be in. Waiting became excruciating so that she made a mad beeline for Tsunade's office, seeking answers.

Sakura had arrived out of breath before her shishou's office door and rapped her knuckles harshly upon it. A subdued "enter" had answered and so she did.

Tsunade knew it was her behind that wooden door, so when Sakura stepped inside, she made no movement to straighten her position or change her expression. Tsunade held a white piece of small parchment in between her two firm hands and oh god, something was wrong. By the bright summer sun piercing through the window, Sakura saw through the translucent white sheet to read the one word printed in bold black letters.

 ** _Sorry_**.

A deep breath. Then another.

Nothing.

"They left," Tsunade had spoken, face grim and voice barely containing her anger. Sakura understand only until later that her anger had been for Sakura's benefit. "Izumo and Kotetsu informed me that they saw Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi, and the chakra artist, Sai, leaving at exactly 1700 hours this morning, carrying fully packed equipment. Said they had a mission and Izumo and Kotetsu just let them go without checking for a mission leave document. I mean, they were supposed to be Konha's most loyal shinobi, right?" At this point, Tsunade was mostly talking to herself.

"They went after Sasuke, didn't they?" Sakura asked.

Still, nothing.

Tsunade nodded, looking carefully at Sakura.

Of course they had. No matter that they were supposed to do that as a team _including_ Sakura, but maybe she had never really belonged with them anyway. She remembered the times when she stumbled after them, her shame at her own weakness. Sasuke's contempt had been sharper against her memories because the little girl that Sakura had been believed herself so in love with him. Sakura remembered the day they discovered she had a dulcet singing voice on a mission and instead of offering contentment, Sasuke had flippantly replied with "maybe you should have done that instead". Yeah, instead of being a kunoichi. The times when Kakashi had to slow their pace because she had been lagging, not having the inhuman stamina that the males possessed and not being able to recognize the fact that not reaching such abilities was perfectly normal for her developing physique. Them not having the foresight to inform her of such a thing made her feel like dirt for she did not understand that concept back then. There was Naruto, too, always making the excuse to give her the lowliest, least energy consuming job on their missions even though, through Tsunade and indistinguishable determination, she reached a level that was almost on par with theirs. Later, Sai had only added to the complex of feeling like shit around them, being as tactless but infuriatingly powerful as he was. Yamato was easier to be around; he never made any outward action that he thought her weak, but she occasionally saw his looks of barely concealed impatience.

Tsunade had asked, but with a tone of already knowing Sakura's answer: "They didn't tell you anything about this, did they?"

"Nope," came Sakura's soft reply.

There was something.

A pressure.

Tsunade clenched her fist harder, now clutching her wooden desk, and the wood creaked.

"It's not really surprising, shishou," Sakura continued, voice flat, uncaring. "Honestly, I should have seen it coming. I always felt…useless. To them, anyway. It's probably better this way." The last sentence was said and she felt her face twist in sadness.

There it was.

She didn't cry—couldn't seem to—although she did start to break right then. The realization she'd always carried around in the back of her mind hammered away at her.

 _I wasn't good enough_.

Sakura hated the feeling, because she told herself adamantly every day that she _was_ good enough…but not to them.

"Don't," Tsunade had warned firmly, "You'd better not be thinking what I think you are, Haruno Sakura. I would not have chosen any apprentice of mine had I thought for a second that she wasn't tough as nails and brimming with enough talent to surpass me one day. Get it out of your head right now. That's a fucking order."

Sakura nodded absentmindedly, the outstanding praise she had never heard in uttered words, only seen in the eyes of her shishou, 'till now, only a pitifully small buffer to her ache.

Tsunade's voice softened, "It's okay to cry, you know."

Sakura smiled despite her state, a rueful smile. "I know, shishou. I just can't seem to get the tears out."

That day Sakura was left without a team. Tsunade watched her with her scrutinizing eyes for a time after that, making sure she really was alright. Ino came over more often, trying to cheer her up, sometimes bringing Hinata and Tenten along, and after a while, it worked. Her melancholy faded to the background of her busy life and she was happier. Sakura enjoyed going out with her friends and although she didn't date—her previously regretful experience had left her with a deep distrust of men—she enjoyed the approving appraisal of men she sometimes even deigned to flirt with.

At seventeen, Sakura had made the decision to join ANBU. She studied and trained for hours on end, believing the tall tales of how difficult it would be to enter such an elite group, and when the time came to prove herself, she breezed through all the tests and obstacles with an airy laugh. Tsunade and Shizune were so proud.

Soon after, Sakura was paired with Hirako Kin, an ANBU captain and, at first impression, a huge assbag. Kin wasn't very nice which completely spoiled his good looks for Sakura, and as her captain, he always left her to figure things out on her own. The last part Sakura never much minded because she was a quick learner and he an efficient leader. At long last, the sole reason Sakura never complained or resented him was because he never once made her, or made any action towards her, expressing she was a burden to him. After a time of tentative outreaches at companionship on both ends, familiarity set itself in place. Kin valued her opinion and skill, always requested her for missions Sakura didn't necessarily need to be on. Sakura came to actually _know_ him and by god, was he funny. Usually, they dished out playful banter towards each other that had Sakura grinning widely and Kin with a goofy smile plastered on his face. Kin became her unexpected friend. Sakura started to hope that maybe not all men were complete fecks after that.

It was only after some time being partnered with him did Tsunade divulge that their pairing was not at all a simple scanning of profiles and complementing skills but a deliberate action on her part. Sakura then realized that Kin was damaged, too; he saw his previous team murdered before his eyes, Tsunade had said, all of them.

"I thought you two would be good for each other," Tsunade had claimed, stare plainly speaking as to why she'd thought that. "And, as always, I was right." Well, Sakura's team hadn't exactly died had they? They'd just abandoned her, which was maybe worse.

Sakura had just rolled her eyes.

For the first time, Sakura had initiated physical contact with Kin and had given him a huge bear hug upon their next encounter, never explaining the reason. Kin had blinked owlishly and asked, "are you eating strange mushrooms again?" referring to the time he and Sakura had been stranded in hideout without food and she'd regressed to eating a colorful mushroom she'd found on the inside of the cave they'd claimed as their hidey-hole. Sufficed to say, Sakura had not wanted to look at Kin for a week after that incident.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Sakura had feigned abashment, "I thought you were Rei." Rei was a rather rotund old female family friend whom owned an ice cream shop and who always gave Sakura free ice cream. She'd brought Kin along one day and Sakura had noticed with amusement they shared the same soft caramel, chestnut-colored hair. She'd then smirked, "Getting a bit plump around the edges there, are we not, Kin?"

He'd smacked her with his thigh holster. "Why, I never!" He brought a hand up to his chest, as if affronted while Sakura pushed him with a little too much gusto and sent him toppling over. Sakura, actually sheepish now, had gone over to help him when his head popped up. "Must be my fat ass," he'd sighed in despondence to which Sakura burst out laughing a rancorous laugh.

Two years later, her mother died. Grief was a feeling Sakura thought she knew, but oh was she wrong. Her father having died when she was really young, Sakura didn't exactly know the emptiness of the absolute loss one experienced when they lost a loved one. The absence of her father had always just been a curious sort of longing, but the absence of her mother left her completely bereft. She'd taken bereavement leave and her many friends had paid her a visit, bringing every imaginable dish of casserole mankind had ever invented. Sakura had smiled at the appropriate times and assurance at her stable state of mind was never far behind. When Sakura had been putting away yet another casserole, Kin had initiated physical contact on his part for the first time. Alone in her kitchen, he'd wrapped his strong arms around her and hugged her tight.

Sakura had sniffed, holding back tears against his shoulder. "Eating strange mushrooms, Kin?" she'd copied from two years previous.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he'd said using her exact tone, "I thought you were that huge pink flamingo that wanders around Konoha forest sometimes on the full moon. Getting a bit long around the face, hm?"

Sakura snorted despite herself. "You idiot," she'd sniffled, "at least mine made sense." Sakura pulled her face away and grinned, a real muscle-stretching, grin. "And mine was funnier. Why would you want to hug a giant flamingo, anyway?"

Still, despite her friendship, Sakura wondered why she wasn't good enough for _them_. The ones who'd initially and most profoundly had mattered to her. Their departure echoed by her mother's felt side-by-side was when Sakura understood the loss of those preemptive four and how it was only a far cry shy of the grief she'd felt for her mother.

But here they were again, six years too late.

…

 **A/N:** Did you guys like it? I thought I'd do my version of the Team 7 fic where they leave Sakura behind and come back years later. I love all the angst. I plan for this one to be a much longer fic.

Constructive and/or nice reviews are always appreciated ^_^


	2. Cold Silence

**A/N:** Sorry it took so long. I had the chapter written, but no motivation whatsoever to give it a once-over to make sure the punctuation errors were at least a little above sub-par.

(Oh, and before I forget, thanks for commenting on the music portion of the chapter, Yeather :D You're the first one to have done so out of any of my stories and I suspect it's either because no one else shares my music taste or because I come off as partially psycho when I talk about music. But anyway, yeah, Tool is pretty rad.)

Cold Silence

— _"Cold silence,_

 _Has a tendency,_

 _To atrophy any,_

 _Sense of compassion"_

Sakura sat in resolute silence next to Shizune who kept flicking glances in her direction. They were currently sitting inside Tsunade's pristine kitchen, pristine only because of its nonexistent use by the owner with nonexistent culinary skills. A bag of takeout courtesy of Shizune, resting atop the little wooden island, was to be their dinner for that night. Tsunade's luxurious Hokage quarters were usually the regular hang for Sakura and Shizune, seeing as Sakura's apartment was a piece of steaming crap and Shizune always proffered that she simply just didn't have enough room as Tsunade.

Said Hokage was running a little late from finishing her last minute reports, which was why Sakura was currently in a strained silence with Shizune.

"I heard about what—" Shizune started, with another variation of that same phrase, for the fifth time since they had arrived.

"I don't want to talk about it, Shizune," Sakura interrupted again, tone clipped. She turned her head and steadfastly ignored her.

Shizune sighed in dejection.

A rustle at the front door—which could be seen thanks to the open-concept layout of the Hokage's living space—and then a turn of the knob and in came Tsunade, looking weary while grumbling to herself.

Sakura eyed her warily, wondering if she should just excuse herself right then or risk being informed of whatever it was that had happened in the office after she'd left. She didn't want to hear anything about them.

All Tsunade did, though, was look up after removing her shoes and smile cheerfully at Sakura. Alarmed, Sakura decided to leave right then and there even though the prospect of a free meal sat right at the tip of her nose. Tsunade, having guessed her intentions, was having none of it.

"Let's eat. I'm starving," she said, tone commanding and leaving no wiggle-room.

Shizune's eyes darted between the two of them and Sakura looked at her shishou suspiciously. Tsunade only kept on smiling. She'd been doing that a lot that day. Weird.

They gathered around the food and started eating in complete silence. Sakura ate tersely, shoulders stiffened with tension, waiting.

"So, Sakura—" _Oh no_ , "—how's the apartment hunt going?" finished Tsunade.

Sakura, having frozen in panic, sagged somewhat when the question was finished. "Not that great, Shishou. It turns out you need money and lots of it to afford a livable place."

Tsunade knew of her less than adequate living conditions, but there was only so much she could do. Tsunade had given more hours to her at the hospital and it was either that or take-on missions, but missions just didn't pay enough and they were not a consistent salary like the hospital was. Her shishou had offered her a room in her sizable quarters, but Sakura had refused: she wasn't a moocher (well, unless someone absolutely insisted but that was beside the point). And it wasn't like Tsunade could just hand out money, so Sakura was stuck in her situation.

"Hmm," Tsunade pondered a small frown upon her face. "Well, I'm sure something will pop up, Sakura. Hang in there."

They resumed eating and Shizune looked at Tsunade questionably while serving a noodle to her mouth.

"How's work at the hospital?" she continued, leaving Sakura feeling on edge as to why she couldn't just get it over with already.

"Besides my patients being discharged without my knowledge, everything's going alright," Sakura said, throwing a pointed glare in Tsunade's direction.

"You're never going to let that go, are you?" Tsunade grumbled. "I promise it won't happen again, okay? Especially to your Kin."

Sakura felt unsettled at that last part. "He's not my anything, I'm just concerned for his welfare like I would any other patients… and thank you, for promising."

Tsunade and Shizune looked to each other with the same amused expression.

"Oh, you two are like gossiping grandmothers who've nothing else to do besides make up imaginary stories," Sakura groused, annoyed. Kin didn't like her in that way.

The 'grandmother' part shut them up and wiped the smile from their faces.

"So mean," Shizune said.

"I know and I'm the one who just got off of work," Tsunade pointed out. "Here have some more sake, Sakura. You're not so mean when you're drunk." She poured Sakura another cup.

"Look who's talking." Sakura smirked and went back to her food, feeling a little lighter.

The surrounding space once again filled with sounds of their eating and just as Sakura was starting to feel as if they would let her finish her meal in peace and let her leave uninterrupted—

"You know, the first thing that came out of their mouths was where you were and how you were doing," Tsunade said, not missing a beat or changing the rhythm of her tone from her previous one. Tsunade still looked calmly to her food as if she'd only commented on the color of Sakura's shirt.

Sakura dropped her chopsticks in anger. "Shishou, I do not want to hear anything about them! It's bad enough I burst in there today and got practically smacked in the face by the situation."

"It'll teach you a lesson not to go bursting into places then," Tsunade said.

"Shishou, I'm not joking! …And I thought you were alone."

"Sakura," Tsunade started, laying down her utensils and turning to regard her seriously, "this is going to follow you weather you like it or not, now that they're back. You can't avoid them forever if you live in the same village."

Well, she could certainly try.

"But shishou—"

"Sakura, listen to me!" Tsunade barked. "I'm not asking you to march over there and forgive them—as a matter of fact you can go and punch them in the face as many times as you'd like for all I care!—just don't sink into this void of indifference you're trying to force upon yourself. The effort won't turn out good in the long run."

Sakura looked down and picked at her napkin, feeling put-upon. "That's the thing, shishou, I thought I stopped caring at all but when I saw them today, all I felt was anger. I'm not sure that's much better."

Tsunade sighed. "Believe it or not, it is."

Shizune, who had remained silent, reached over and patted her hand in comfort.

"Don't you even want to know what's going to happen to them now that they're back?" Tsunade offered.

If Sakura was honest with herself, she was a tad curious. Just a tad.

Would the council throw them in jail? Do nothing at all considering their status as legendary shinobi? Pardon them? Feed them to one of the giant tigers roaming the Forest of Death?

Sakura quite liked the last one.

Tsunade read her expression and so continued, "The council has offered them a trial, although I'm not sure of the outcome myself, I think it's rather fair which is why I voted for it. The four's good behavior during their time away will be helpful towards them, of course. Sasuke I'm not so sure of since he left first, but the council has their reasons to keep him around as well as Kakashi, Sai, and especially Naruto. Gaara backing them up is sure to come in their favor, too, since the support of a Kage is not to be taken lightly either." Now, Tsunade's gaze turned gauging. "You know, if someone were to show up and speak on their behalf, someone who has gained status within the village and once used to know them very well, events might go much more smoothly for them."

Sakura turned sharply away. "I'm not going," she responded quickly.

Shizune grumbled, "You have no tact, Tsunade-sama!" Shizune then looked away from an unapologetic Tsunade towards Sakura. "Sakura, I think you should go, too. No, don't interrupt, let me finish! I think you should go weather it is to speak on their behalf or against it because I do not think you'll have any peace of mind 'till you do. Either way, you'll find comfort that you did something about them."

Sakura sighed. Great, now she was even more confused.

She had to admit, though, that Shizune made a very valid point. Nonetheless, the point being valid was far outweighed by the fact that Sakura really didn't want to go.

Sakura cleared her throat. "When is the trail?"

Tsunade looked unblinkingly at her. "Tomorrow at noon."

"I have to work tomorrow."

Tsunade shrugged. "I can allot you time if you intend to go."

Sakura shook her head. She wouldn't miss work for them. "No, if I have free time I'll go. If not then oh well."

Tsunade sighed, giving up, "I think that's the best we're going to do for now. Try to make it Sakura."

Shizune patted her hand one more time before withdrawing.

Sakura stared absentmindedly at her half-eaten tray of food. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

…

An unconscious, barely alive ANBU agent had been brought to her the next day at the hospital, two hours before the trial. Sakura was tired from not having slept at all the previous night due to her numerous thoughts, but all was forgotten when she saw someone in need of her skills; she jumped in without another thought and cleared her mind of all else, focusing on keeping the man under her steady hands alive.

Time melted into nothing, so when she surfaced from her one-track set of mind, the patient steadied after a grueling period of uncertain suspense, Sakura was washing her hands after changing and glanced at the clock for the time.

The hands pointed exactly to twelve.

Sakura cursed softly and gripped the pristine white sink tightly, knuckles standing out pure-white.

She had been hoping, perhaps cowardly so, that she would have the excuse of being with a patient to excuse her absence at the trial. Sakura had been hoping for a roundabout way not to go then actually deciding herself not to show.

Now she didn't have that option.

She could still go.

Her feet unconsciously carried her out the small wash closet for employees and towards the exit.

She drifted towards the bright green sign reading exit that lead to the staircase, the fastest method to leave. Sakura knew where her feet were taking her, knew where she was headed, but her feet moved separate from her mind and will.

Sakura breezed by a fellow co-worker and mumbled in passing, "Jun, I'll be back in a bit, alright?"

The girl blinked at her. "Uh, okay, Haruno-san. Are you okay?"

"Sure."

With that last retort Sakura fled through the stairway door and started running.

…

Sakura arrived, panting, at the city hall and jogged up the stairs. The day was hot and the coarse material of her lab coat that she had not had the foresight to remove before leaving was bothersome. She shrugged off her discomfiture and foreboding and entered the cool building.

"Here for the trial?" asked a gruff voice to her left.

Sakura looked to her left to find a portly security guard at a desk, peering at her over a newspaper. She nodded stiffly.

"Don't know if they'll let you in, they've already started, but it's in room 12."He promptly went back to his newspaper.

Sakura whispered a quick 'thanks' and went in search of the room, finding it fairly quickly. Heart pounding—and not from exertion—Sakura controlled her breathing and asked the two guards standing straight-backed if she could go in.

They stared hard at her for a moment and recognition crossed their features before they nodded tersely and let her through.

Sakura squared her shoulders and pulled the door open, entering a room brightened by florescent lights only.

Blinking eyes adjusted to the sight before her.

Two pews on either side of her spread out like wooden wings, curved and extended. The small walkway she stood on lead to a small cubed area fenced off by parallel wooden braces and Sakura knew enough about courtrooms to know that this was where the witness or individual giving the testament stood. In front of said area was a taller podium behind which sat who Sakura assumed was the judge; a willowy looking woman with severe features. To her right sat a smug Tsunade with a worried looking Shizune, Yamato and Gaara sitting beside them, had also turned to look at her when the doors had pushed open. Sakura had seen a fleeting glimpse of Naruto smiling, Kakashi leaning forward to regard her and Sasuke and Sai both staring at her from her left before she'd flitted her gaze away rapidly.

She looked back towards the judge to find her regarding her with pursed lips, then a look of comprehension and strangely of trepidation.

Sakura cleared her throat, feeling self-conscious with so many eyes on her. "Forgive me, your honor, my name is Haruno Sakura—"

"Yes, yes, I know. I informed the guards outside to let you in if you happened to show. I am judge Kitsune," she said evenly, voice stern. "If you would like to step into the reserved area, the Kazekage has just finished with his testament."

Sakura complied and walked stiffly over to the small swinging gate and entered the enclosed area, feeling as if she were the one on trial with all the eyes on her. She spoke again. "I am sorry I am late, your honor, but I've just finished a surgery only a few minutes ago."

"I am aware, Haruno," Kitsune intoned, although not unkindly. She took a deep breath and shuffled papers around, fidgeting. Sakura knew all the signs of nervous behavior and this woman's shaking hands were perhaps the most telling sign. Sakura stood puzzled. Kitsune paused and regarded Sakura with hesitation. "Tell me, Haruno-san, how does the patient fare?"

Sakura's brows furrowed slightly in surprise: Why would this woman want to know the health of her patient?

Sakura answered slowly, "I did my best, ma'am, but his wounds were very severe."

Kitsune stilled, becoming a statue with cracking cement around the edges. "Ah, do I take that to mean then…?" she trailed off, insinuation of her half-answered question apparent to Sakura.

"No, ma'am, I stabilized him," Sakura reassured, although still concentrated on why she should be assuring this woman of her patients' well-being in the first place. "I was not able to wake him, but I am confident he will in a few hours, but his recovery now depends on him."

Kitsune swallowed audibly, clenched hands an obvious sign of the woman struggling to keep her composure.

Sakura, now concerned, but still puzzled, asked, "May I inquire as to why—?"

"My son, Haruno," Kitsune answered, voice somewhat breathless and rushed, "that is my son."

Sakura's mouth dropped open in a small 'o'. Oh! Kitsune, that was right, his last name is Kitsune!

"Ah, I see," Sakura intoned, "as I said, he will be alright and make a full recovery so long as he does not strain himself and follows a strict physical therapy regime. Ma'am, he's going to be okay." That last statement was repeated to calm the wired woman, who then seemed to sag in her chair.

Sakura wondered what kind of will power it took to sit in a chair and do what your job demanded of you while knowing that your child might be dying a few steps away in a cold room.

Kitsune nodded tiredly.

Sakura shuffled awkwardly, sure that her time to speak was fast approaching once Kitsune sorted herself out.

Kitsune straightened in her chair and seemed to shake herself off—the weight of the world taken off of her shoulders by a few words—and ran a steady hand over her curtain of brown hair flecked with silver.

"So, Haruno-san," Kitsune started, completely in her element again, "I understand that you are a former member of Team Seven, consisting of Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi, and Uchiha Sasuke, and later, Team Kakashi with the addition of Yamato-san and Sai?"

"Yes, ma'am," Sakura answered, a familiar voice speaking just after her.

"Wait, what do you mean 'former member'?" Naruto asked. Sakura did not turn to read the expression on his face, instead keeping it on Kitsune who turned sharply to regard the four with a glare.

She addressed Naruto. "Well, Uzumaki, there can't very well be a Team Seven with only one member remaining in the village and the others renegades, now can there? Be thankful Hokage-sama chose to disband the team rather than label you four missing-nin. Now if you interrupt one more time I will inform the court martial to seal your mouth shut with a jutsu. Are we clear?" Naruto must have nodded because Kitsune turned back to Sakura and her expression lightened. She looked down at her papers and shuffled through them, peering over her spectacles. "Apprenticed to our very own Hokage-sama," she muttered, mostly to herself, "one of the head staff at our hospital, excellent mission completion percentage and a member of ANBU for four years now." Sakura heard rustling form _their_ side of the room at that last statement. Kitsune continued. "Very nice. Well, Haruno-san, the floor is yours, what have you to say?"

Sakura stood still, not very nice thoughts running through her mind. She voiced none of them though. "I do not have anything prepared, ma'am. I did not realize I would be asked to give my opinion on the matter, on the whole I only planned to be a bystander."

"Surely you must have something to say?" asked Kitsune incredulously. "After all, you did know these four men for a significant part of your life before they left?"

Those nasty thoughts made a reappearance: _Well you see, Judge Kitsune, these four assbags abandoned me a very long time ago which only furthered my inferiority complex and induced a sense of mistrust for other men, wrecking any relationship I might have in the future. If you would be so kind as to toss them down a giant gaping hole I would be very much obliged._

Sakura cleared her throat and responded, preparing herself to finally turn to look at Sasuke, Sai, Naruto, and Kakashi as she spoke, to meet all their gazes with her hard stare. "I have found, your Honor, that cold silence has…" she turned to them at last, "a tendency to atrophy any sense of compassion."

Sakura turned back to Kitsune, not bothering to analyze the expressions of shock she had just witnessed, to find her staring intently at her. "Fair enough." Kitsune leaned forward onto her elbows, becoming even more serious if it were possible. "Now, Haruno-san, at the risk of sounding bias, I will phrase my next sentence carefully: I am, perhaps more so than any other in this room, most inclined towards any solution of this issue you might propose. You see, as an upstanding citizen of Konohakure and a once closely involved individual of the defendant's, any thought you might have with regard to the dealing of these four will be considered most thoroughly."

Sakura knew what she implied, of course; Kitsune was letting her choose their punishment. Sakura squared her shoulders and met Kitsune's gaze. "I trust you judgement. Do what you will."

Kitsune smiled briefly. "Very well." She turned towards Naruto, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sai. "Gentlemen, this issue has been brought before me in a very serious matter. You cannot expect me to ignore your unauthorized period of abandonment of six years from this village. This matter cannot be taken lightly and even with the Kazekage-sama's statement towards your favor I am put-upon to announce a sentence. A one-year probation within the village should suffice to remind you of the duty to your village and the people within it." Kitsune pounded her gavel on her podium once. "Court is adjourned. The finer details of you sentence will be discussed between myself and Hokage-sama in due time."

Kitsune peered at the four men who had visibly sagged in their seats, sternly. "You should know, gentlemen, that had it not been for Haruno-san's appearance today, your sentence would have been much harsher, I would thank her, if I were you."

"Yes, ma'am," was mumbled by the four.

Sakura had already turned to leave, planning to be out before Tsunade or Shizune, who were already standing, could catch her, until Kitsune called her back.

"Haruno-san?"

Sakura turned to regard the other woman's sincere expression. "Yes, ma'am?"

Kitsune swallowed. "Thank you for my son."

Sakura only inclined her head once, not bothering to try to explain that she was only doing her job.

She was so tired.

Sakura turned back and made a beeline for the door as another voice erupted behind her.

"Sakura, wait!" Shuffling was heard before a sharp zap sounded. "Ouch, dammit. Wait!" The bars encaging them must have been bespelled with a jutsu which Naruto had activated once touching them.

She did not turn.

…

It was her day off and Tsunade had called her into her office.

…Which was why at that moment Sakura was standing just outside the office door, glaring at the polished wood.

Sakura had had a nagging suspicion as to why she had asked for her presence, suspecting it had something to do with _them_ and now that she felt their chakra on the other side of the door, she wondered if she should turn right back around and leave. This was so not a way she wanted to spend her free time on when it was so scarce these days.

Her ears perked up when she heard harsh whispering behind the closed door. "Now when she comes in—," that was her shishou, "—I want you all to keep your mouths shut and leave all the talking to me, you got that? If you talk to her, she's more likely to leave before I can even offer her this. On your best behavior's if you want this to work, got it, idiots?"

Sakura smirked at that last part, knowing Tsunade was being abrasive for her sake.

There were mumbled "Yes, Hokage-sama"'s from those being addressed inside the room.

Sakura sighed wearily and let her chakra be known by unwinding the tight ball she had suppressed her chakra into so they wouldn't sense her coming.

All were quiet inside the room.

"Come in, Sakura," Tsunade called.

Sakura stayed stubbornly rooted to the spot. "Whatever it is, shishou, I don't want to do it," she called back through the heavy wooden door.

"Just come in, brat!" Tsunade barked.

Sakura pouted at no one in particular since there was no one around, just for fuck's sake. Even she couldn't disobey that order.

Sakura despaired at the moment that ANBU had found her to inform her of Tsunade's request at her favorite tea shop that morning, enjoying her few moments of freedom and peace away from work by soaking in the sunny day. She'd even somewhat dressed for the occasion in tight black pants and a flowy sleeveless, green shirt. All for naught, she supposed.

Sakura thought even if she couldn't wiggle out of this one, she could at least take her damn time doing what was asked of her.

She stood outside the door a moment longer, before reaching for the doorknob in the slowest way possible and then turning it.

She let the door swing open, but stayed outside of it.

Tsunade smiled a really forced, pleasant smile at her from her seated position behind her desk. "Inside, Sakura. And close the door behind you, please."

Sakura saw the regular five that she was expecting and to her surprise the Kazekage, too, before she focused her attention back on Tsunade, bowing to both of them, still from outside the door. Sakura lifted her chin defiantly. "You know this is my only day off, right?"

"I am aware of that, which is why I think you might like what I have to say," Tsunade's smile widened and turned scary so Sakura decided she didn't want to get a stapler launched at her and stepped into the room, closing the door behind her.

Kakashi, Naruto, Sai, and Sasuke stared blatantly at her, but didn't utter a sound.

"Good, good," Tsunade said, smile a tad less scary now that Sakura complied. She continued, "I have a proposition for you, Sakura. Judge Kitsune and I sat down yesterday and laid out the finer details of these four's probation period; what we decided, among other things, is that these four will need a chaperone of sorts during their one year suspension inside the village. They will be placed under lenient house arrest, lenient only because they will still be able to go about the village with the specified chaperone that will be appointed to them; said person will also need to keep a sharp eye on them, so cohabitation is what will be needed. We decided to make this matter an A-class mission. Sakura, I've chosen to offer it to you." Tsunade gave her another pleasant smile as she finished.

Sakura thought she didn't do a very good job at convincing her. She crossed her arms and replied stoically. "Thank you, shishou, but I respectfully decline the mission."

"Why?"

"On account that I have better things to do than babysit four full-grown men," Sakura supplied.

Tsunade grinned and waggled a finger at her. "Ah, but you have not heard the finer details yet."

Sakura kept her face expressionless. "Enlighten me."

"If you choose to accept this mission, you will be allotted brand new living accommodations which will be yours for the keeping, with all expenses paid, plus a monthly stipend and a separate check upon the completion of the mission." Tsunade leaned forward to more fully make her case clear. "Sakura, I know this is the only day off you've had in three weeks straight. You're working your ass off and I know you've been trying to find a decent place to live…Sakura, I'm offering you a way out."

"I don't take hand-outs," Sakura replied, resolutely.

"I know," Tsunade looked fondly at her, "that's one of the reasons I'm proud of you, but you know as well as I that this isn't a handout."

Sakura understood what Tsunade was saying: if she chose to accept the mission, she'd be moving in with the very people who'd broken something profound in her. No way would this be easy in any way.

Then again, she had found a mouse in her cereal box that morning.

Tsunade continued, "You will still be able to work at the hospital and take missions every now and again, it will not be your sole objective to keep an eye on these four. And when you're done, if you don't want to keep the house, the compensation you will receive will be enough for you to buy yourself a nice new apartment, plus set you up for rent for the next few months to boot."

Sakura deliberated in her own mind, torn between wanting to accept and sprinting the hell out of there as fast as she could. She really didn't want to do this, but then again…

…She was only twenty-two and already she was so tired.

Tsunade sensed her doubt and tried to assuage her with flattery. "Your situation is not the only reason I picked you for this, by the way. You and Shizune are the two people I trust most and I knew I could trust you with this matter that is of upmost importance to the village."

"No offence," Sakura directed this part to the Kazekage before turning back to Tsunade, "but if this matter is so important to the village, then why is the Kazekage here?"

Gaara replied, "Because I was bored", at the same time Tsunade replied, "Because I kindly invited him".

Sakura raised a dubious eyebrow, while Tsunade turned to look at Gaara exasperatedly. "Thanks," she said sarcastically. He only shrugged.

"You should know by now, shishou, that flattery doesn't work on me," Sakura said, amused.

"I know, but I thought I would try anyway. Either way, I meant what I said."

Sakura inclined her head; she knew when to accept a compliment.

Tsunade eyed her, head to toes. "So, what do you say?"

Sakura knew that what she was being offered was a very generous deal, but apprehension held her back from accepting. She didn't know if she could be civil to those four, even Yamato, let alone even talk to them on a daily basis

Against her better judgement, Sakura turned her head to observe Kakashi, Naruto, Sai, and Sasuke for only a moment. Naruto grinned good-naturedly at her when he saw her looking, and Sasuke elbowed him to try to get him to wear a more somber expression. Sai looked at her with more expression than she had remembered ever seeing on his face, though she could not read that expression. Kakashi creased his eye at her in what she recognized as the same expression he used to give her all those years ago. They still hadn't said a word.

Sakura felt like puking.

She turned back to an expectant Tsunade. She was so going to regret this. "Fine. I accept."

Sakura ignored the smiles and pleased looks from her peripheral vison and kept her attention on Tsunade: honestly, what were they so happy about? Couldn't they sense her vibe of very strong dislike towards them, bordering on hostility? But then again, they had never been really smart in the first place.

"Excellent," Tsunade grinned.

"But I do have a couple conditions," Sakura interjected. She waited for Tsunade to nod for her to go on before she continued, "I don't want any more night shifts at the hospital and I want you to consult me before making the decision to discharge my patients from the hospital."

Tsunade groaned in exasperation and leaned back in her chair as if she were done with the world. "You're never going to let that go, are you? I already told you I would last night at dinner—you even have Shizune as witness!"

Sakura crossed her arms again, resolute. "I know, but I want that included in this deal, too. I'm one hundred percent sure Kin is going to show in the middle of the fucking night and wake me so I can heal him from all those torn stiches he will have."

"He better not," Tsunade said ominously, having straightened in her chair. "I told him he better come back squeaky clean and those stiches in the right place or else we would have words."

Sakura pfft'd. "Not going to happen."

"Wanna bet?"

"Sure."

Tsunade grinned widely at her. "A bottle of sake and free dinner?"

Sakura smiled back; it was no secret Tsunade totally sucked at bets. "You're on."

"And as for the night shifts, that's granted. Anything else?" Tsunade asked.

Sakura shook her head and moved forward to seal the deal by shaking her hand. Sakura took Tsunade's equally rough-skinned hand and shook it, but before she let go, Sakura held on tighter and moved her head closer to Tsunade's.

"I know what you're doing," Sakura said in a low voice. She didn't know why, but Tsunade was trying to help those five get closer to her.

She noticed Gaara leaning forward to catch their words.

Tsunade stretched her mouth in a side-grin. "Good, because I really hate explaining myself."

Sakura released her hand and scooted back, still thinking.

"Alright, back to business," Tsunade barked. "Kakashi and Sai, it was agreed that you both be demoted back to chunnin until you prove that you are entitled of your respective titles again and until I see fit to restore them. Naruto and Sasuke, I see no better punishment than to keep you both at genin level." They nodded somberly, accepting their punishment. "Which means that Sakura, being a jounin and member of ANBU, is for all intents and purposes, your superior. You four will follow her every command and defer to her as you primary authority figure when I am not around. Are we clear?"

Sakura quite liked the sound of that.

They all nodded again, even Sasuke, without complaint.

Tsunade nodded, happy for their compliance. "Good. Now, Sakura, each of them has a band tattooed around their right ankle beset with a jutsu. The purpose of it is to deter them from leaving the house without you or another appointed chaperone. Essentially, it acts the same as a regular ankle band given to those under house arrest. I am appointing Yamato as a secondary chaperone when you are otherwise occupied, but for it to work you must specifically state that you are giving him leave to supervise. He has a mark, too, and I will need to place one on you so the jutsu can take effect. It's not permanent."

She gestured for Sakura to move forward and so she did. Sakura held out her right wrist while Tsunade brought out a tapered brush and ink. Tsunade made a small swirled mark, much like her ANBU mark on her shoulder, only this one had a line drawn through it.

There was an odd tingling sensation while the mark set, then nothing. Sakura rubbed it to see if it would smear but the lines stayed as defined as when her shishou had first drawn them on.

Tsunade held up one finger. "Just one more thing." She opened her desk drawer and pulled out an envelope, sliding it over to Sakura. "This contains your first monthly stipend for groceries and such, and the directions to your new house which is already fully furnished."

Sakura received the envelope and took a look inside. She arched one eyebrow. Well, the council certainly was being…generous.

Tsunade clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "Alright, I think that's everything. You all can get the hell out now, Gaara and I have some business to discuss."

Naruto, Sasuke, Sai, Yamato, and Kakashi started to file out first, with Sakura following, but Tsunade called her back.

"Oh, and Sakura?" she said.

Sakura turned her head to acknowledge her. "Yes, shishou?"

"Try not to kill them during the first week."

Sakura was making no promises. She blinked at Tsunade and only said, "Sure."

Tsunade placed a hand on her forehead and said under her breath, "Crap, what did I get those boys into?". She then made shooing motions at Sakura as if exasperated with her.

Gaara smirked.

Sakura smiled back; sometimes she really liked the Kazekage's sense of humor. She then closed the door softly behind her and turned to find Naruto, Sasuke, Sai, Yamato and Kakashi staring expectantly at her.

Sakura released one long, put-upon breath and said curtly, "Follow me." She made a sharp turn, not waiting for them to catch up, and marched out of the Hokage tower.

When they had made it down the stairs and outside, Naruto called out to her cheerily. "Hey, wait, Sakura-chan—,"

Sakura had been dreading this part— the part where they would talk to her.

She stopped abruptly and turned to face Naruto who stopped, too, almost crashing into her. The other stopped right behind him.

"Look…Uzumaki," Sakura started, not wanting to use his first name so as not to encourage familiarity (she realized this would be a problem with Sai and Yamato, but she'd just try not to talk to them), "I'm really not happy about this and I really don't want to do this, so it would probably be best if you don't talk to me. All of you…ever," she addressed this to the rest of them.

Naruto's blue eyes dimmed somewhat and he adopted a crestfallen expression. The others wore looks geared more towards meekness than disappointment.

"That should work out perfectly once were all living together," Sasuke spoke for the first time since Sakura had seen him again with a sarcastic tone. Nothing much had changed there.

Kakashi whopped him on the back of the head and chastised, "Attitude, Sasuke" while Naruto said, "Shut up, teme!".

Sakura pretended not to hear them and ignored Sasuke's tone in favor of actually taking it literally. "Good, I'm glad you understand."

Sakura lead the way again and started walking, but before they had made it halfway down the street a voice called out with enthusiasm. "Hey, man!"

Sakura scanned the street to find Genma quickly walking in their direction with a huge smile on his face.

Sakura sighed tiredly.

He reached Kakashi who also wore a smile behind his ever-present mask, and clapped him on the back. "Damn, I haven't seen your silver head around here for the longest time! It's good to see you. How've you been, man?"

"Hello, Genma," Kakashi smiled, "I've been good, just missed home is all." At this he glanced to Sakura briefly then back to Genma. "How have you been?"

"Great!" Genma exclaimed. He then went on to greet Sasuke, Naruto, and Sai. He said a brief "hello" to Yamato since Yamato had stuck around the village, unlike the others. They exchanged a few more pleasantries, with frustration ever increasing in a ticked-off Sakura, which no one noticed. He finally turned back to Kakashi, "Hey, you guys should come down to the old Wobbly Shurikan tonight and have a drink with me. We'll catch up and I'll invite the regular crew, eh?"

Kakashi scratched at the back of his head sheepishly and glanced at Sakura again. He cleared his throat. "Ah, well you see…" He then went on to explain their situation and Sakura's part in it.

Genma's eyes widened. "Whoa, house arrest? Well, you guys were sure gone a long time, but, hey, it'll be over before you know it." He then sidled up to Sakura and slipped one arm around her shoulders. "But I'm sure Miss Haruno here won't object to coming along with you guys so we can have at least one drink, hm?" He winked slyly at her. Sakura noticed the others eyeing Genma shiftily. "I'll keep you entertained, sweetie."

Sakura kept her face unimpressed. "No," she said simply while pinching one of Genma's fingers between her index finger and thumb, flicking his arm off of her.

Genma smiled good-naturedly. "When are you going to realize I'm just your type, eh? You're just my type."

Sakura snorted. "Your type? Let's see," she held up one finger, "I'm breathing, so…oh, wait, that's it."

She heard sniggers from the others. Genma put a hand to his chest, as if wounded. "Ouch, that hurts, but don't worry I can wait as long as it takes."

Sakura only rolled her eyes and started walking away again, followed by the others who waved a quick goodbye. They didn't seem too disappointed to be missing out on the invitation.

"I'll wait for you in heaven!" Genma called out to her before she was out of earshot.

Despite herself, Sakura let slip a small laugh, amused. Genma was always good for a laugh, albeit in a sleazy, womanizer kind of way. Though she knew him to never overstep others boundaries or act disrespectful towards her, which is why she didn't pummel him on sight every time they met.

Kakashi was the one who came near her this time. "So, ah, where's our new house exactly?"

The smile slipped from Sakura's mouth at his presence; it seemed he had already forgotten the no-talking rule that had been established.

Sakura wanted to ignore him, but her mother hadn't raised her to be a rude person. "It's in the upper district, down by city hall." When Sakura had seen the address on the sheet of paper given to her by her shishou, she'd been astonished at the location—usually only clans or rich merchants inhabited the grand houses located there.

They made it past the hospital and a further ways down in complete silence before they were interrupted again, this time by Ino.

"Hey, Forehead!" she greeted while walking towards them, blonde hair shining in the sun.

"Hey, Pig," Sakura greeted back.

She reached them and eyed the men behind her. "Hm, I heard they were back. Guess it's true." She abruptly turned coy and bashful, the picture of what she'd been back in her teenage years, as she turned to look at Sasuke. "So, um, Sasuke-kun, I was wondering, since you're back, if, well, if you're—," her voice turned back to its normal tone with a bit of edge thrown in, "—still a huge dick?"

Sakura's laughter was genuine this time around, breathy and coming from deep in her lungs. She gave Ino an appreciative high-five, which Ino giddily returned with a grin plastered to her face. Her best friend was, well, the best. A muscle twitched in Sasuke's jaw.

Naruto giggled, Kakashi chuckled along with Yamato, and Sai smirked. Their mirth subsided, though, when Ino asked Sakura, "Why are you hanging out with theses losers?"

Sakura knew that Ino how much these five men had created a schism within her and how much she probably didn't want to be around them.

Sakura sighed. "I'll tell you later. I'm getting a headache. Oh, but I am moving someplace different. Here, I'll give you the address…" Sakura read out the address listed on the sheet of paper to Ino.

"Wow, cushy place you've got there," Ino said, eyebrows raised as she glanced at the sheet. "At least you're moving out of your crapbag apartment finally."

"Yeah, at least there's that," Sakura agreed, although she might end severely regretting her decision.

"I'll come see you later to get the full story, okay? I have to run." Ino patted Sakura lightly on the arm as a goodbye and gave a mocking two-fingered salute the other men before leaving.

Sakura waved her goodbye, feeling less heavy and more herself.

On they went again, this time arriving at their destination with no more interruptions.

The house was certainly grand, Sakura observed. A concrete pathway lined with colorful flowers lead to a heavy wooden front door that was polished to perfection. The house was constructed in a more modern model, which she could see was common in their street, but there were a few older edo-styled mansions dotted here and there. The front of the tastefully sunset colored house was adorned with large bay windows which would certainly let in plenty of sun and even though the layout was a one-story ranch style house, she could see there would be plenty of room for all of them.

All in all, house was perfect. It was the company that wasn't much to par.

Sakura started up the path with the others following behind her—she felt their presence behind her like a shadowy wraith. She wondered why Yamato was still tagging along; after all he now knew the address of the house and really didn't need to come inside. Sakura knew she was just being prickly, but couldn't help it and wondered if it would be awfully petty of her if she outright asked him why he was still here and if he would just leave. One less she had to deal with, the better.

She kept her mouth shut and reached inside the envelope once more to draw out the key inside. She usually wasn't a huge raving bitch and didn't want them to influence any aspect of her general attitude, so she wouldn't say anything.

Sakura inserted the key and turned it, opening the well-oiled wooden door into a pleasantly cool living room.

The layout was open-concept, much like the Hokage's quarters. The living room was situated to her right, with two steps leading down to the various furnishings adorning the dip that was the living area. To her left sat the dining space, a large section behind which sat the sliding glass doors leading to the backyard. The kitchen was a more secluded section of the house, with walls almost obscuring the interior from view. Further down extended a long hallway, dotted with doors on either side, which Sakura assumed were the bedrooms, and probably a bathroom there somewhere.

The others made exclamations at the grandeur of the house and went to explore but Sakura had already had her fill for the day. She only blinked, unfeeling, at what was before her then walked towards the long hallway reaching the bedroom at the end. She randomly labeled that one hers and opened the door, stepping inside to find she had picked the master bedroom—fitting, given her current predicament.

Even though she could feel the others watching her questioningly, Sakura closed the door behind her and sat in the middle of the floor, cradling her head in her hands.

…

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading, guys! Hope the long chapter compensated for the long wait.

Constructive and/or nice reviews are always appreciated ^_^


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